


Talons and Storms

by Castibella_Shipper_of_the_Lord



Series: Shapeshifters of Cat's Cradle [3]
Category: Warrior Nun (TV)
Genre: Animals, Avatrice, BAMF Beatrice, BAMF Camila, Blood and Injury, Camila's crossbow, Canon-Typical Violence, Cute Camila, Demons, Eventual Fluff, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Lilith and Mary CARE, Many lamps are harmed in the making of this fic, Minor Violence, Missions Gone Wrong, Shapeshifting, Sister Beatrice loves Ava Silva, Soft Avatrice, Soft Lilshotgun, Some Humor, Team Bonding, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28277484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castibella_Shipper_of_the_Lord/pseuds/Castibella_Shipper_of_the_Lord
Summary: The Sister Warriors are assigned their first mission since Ava destroyed the artifact. With their newfound powers, surely the mission won't be a problem.Right?
Relationships: Sister Beatrice & Sister Camila & Sister Lilith & Shotgun Mary & Ava Silva, Sister Beatrice/Ava Silva, Sister Lilith/Shotgun Mary (Warrior Nun)
Series: Shapeshifters of Cat's Cradle [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895809
Comments: 10
Kudos: 65





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Attempting angst, though I'll admit the next parts will be mostly fluff :D   
> Hope y'all enjoy!!

It took weeks of training for the sister warriors to learn how to control shapeshifting through combat, as every surge of adrenaline, every trace of fear or surprise, forced the shift. Camila still struggled with learning to utilize her form as she was doubtful a mouse-deer would be of much use. Lilith had the same qualms, though was quickly proven wrong when realizing enemies confronted with a fluffy grey cat in all its spitting, clawing glory aiming for someone’s eyes could prove rather effective.

Their first mission after the whole situation began took place on a dreary day. Rain dribbled lazily down windowpanes, puddling on the stone steps before Cat’s Cradle and making for unsteady steps for the returning warriors and they hurried towards shelter.

Ava and Beatrice had just loaded their gear into the van when Camila came sliding up the pathway, arms flung out to keep upright, and Mary and Lilith walking unbothered behind her.

“I’m drivin’,” Mary called, rounding the van and catching the keys that Ava tossed. “I trust you behind a wheel as much as Camila. Maybe even less.”

Camila sidled into the backseat with a frown. “That was _one time. _”__

____

“You nearly killed us Camila,” Lilith remarked, raising an eyebrow. Ava turned from her seat opposite Camila, eyes wide.

____

Across from them, Beatrice grudgingly nodded. “It’s true. Putting music on in the car with you is a death sentence. Especially Katy Perry. Too much dancing, not enough attention to where you’re steering.”

____

Camila slouched, tugging her raincoat hood over her head. “As if any of you are any better. You pay more attention to your girlfriends than the road.”

____

Up front, Lilith and Mary broke eye contact, Lilith twisting to look out the window, hiding her face from the others. Camila nodded, before glancing over at the girls beside her. Ava quickly hid her and Beatrice’s entwined hands and tried to appear innocent.

____

“Whatever,” Camila grumbled. “As long as we get there in one piece, right.”

____

Ava snickered, watching Mary sneak another glance at Lilith, smiles tugging at their lips. “Sure…”

____

The task they’d been given was simple. Clear out a household that had been overrun with wraiths, and be sure there are none remaining in the area. An entire household possession was unusual, drawing the warriors to bring their best in hopes of avoiding a massacre or ambush. The least civilian casualties the better.

____

Ava couldn’t help but gnaw at her lip as the scenery blurred past, hand still gripped in Beatrice’s. Every few seconds one of them would give it a squeeze, just to reassure themselves the other was still there.

____

Rain began to spatter the glass with more force, the sound echoing like drums in the enclosed space, almost drowning out the radio. Ava closed her eyes and leaned on her girlfriend, trying to block out the incessant pounding of the elements.

____

Mary reached out and flicked off the radio, dropping them into silence. “We’re here.” Any humor from before had disappeared from her voice.

____

The house they’d parked in front of appeared the same as any older suburban home, all peeling blue paint, scratched wooden porch, and dingy windows. A small garden framed the walkway, tomato plants laden with produce reaching towards the overcast sky. As the warriors drew closer, Ava realized many were overripe, bordering on rotten. Some littered the ground, and the plants themselves were overgrown and wild as if they had been left unattended for quite some time.

____

Camila hovered closer to Lilith as they neared the battered front door. Ava gave Beatrice’s hand one last squeeze before dropping it in favor of her dagger. Mary took the lead, reaching for the door handle as the Sister Warriors got into position, fanning behind Ava.

____

When Ava signaled to Mary, the door was swung open.

____

There was a beat of stillness. The rain had tapered off, barely misting the ground.

____

A form shuddered within the house, moving into the light of the open doorway. A woman, clad in ripped jeans and sweater, wreathed in a red hue, stumbled forward. The wraith. But even as Ava tensed, two more forms moved from behind the woman. Two children, a boy and a girl that can barely be older than 13 draw behind what must be their mother, surrounded by the same murky red shadows.

____

Beatrice inhales sharply at Ava’s left, but Ava only has eyes for the ones holding hers, the little girl at her mother’s back. Those weren’t a child’s eyes. They were older and filled with more darkness than any human could possibly hold.

____

The woman lurched forward, possibly sensing Ava’s hesitation. And with shrieks, the two children lunged as well. Shaking herself inwardly, Ava cursed her lapse in focus as she ducked the first strike, rolling to the side to allow Beatrice an opening, and smirking with pride as a swift kick sent the wraith reeling. Swiftly rising to her feet, she searched for a divide between woman and wraith, but found none. Another punch sent the wraith back a step and the red mist roiled, finally shifting to provide an opening.

____

Just as Ava raised her dagger to strike, she something moved in her way. The little girl. At the sight of the small figure, her grip slackened on the hilt. The wraith wearing the little girl bared her teeth, seizing her by the arm, the woman securing her other a moment later.

____

Beatrice and the others rushed to help but found their way barred by the little boy as Ava was dragged with inhuman strength into the gloom of the house.

____

The last thing Ava saw was Beatrice screaming her name, before all was engulfed in a flash of light and the door slammed shut.

____


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Beatrice's POV*
> 
> Trigger warnings at the end of chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry for a bit of a wait. I hope you enjoy this chapter :D

_Thud. ___

____

_Thud. ___

______ _ _

_Thud. ___

________ _ _ _ _

All Beatrice could hear was the roaring in her ears, her heartbeat reverberating in her chest.

________ _ _ _ _

Breaking through her stupor, she saw her friends frantically trying to break the door down, the sounds of their attempts crashing against the wooden frame drowned out by the pounding of her heart.

________ _ _ _ _

With every beat it whispered.

________ _ _ _ _

_Ava._

________ _ _ _ _

_Ava._

________ _ _ _ _

_Ava._

________ _ _ _ _

Blinking the rain from her eyes, she peered at her claws digging into the muddy soil, a vague memory of a familiar blinding light surfacing. A snarl ripped from her jaws. She stalked up the steps, past the Sister Warriors still struggling with the door. She paused, sinking into a crouch.

________ _ _ _ _

“…Bea?” Camila said, worry tinging her voice. The sudden appearance of a panther would be worrying to anyone.

________ _ _ _ _

Beatrice ignored her. She bunched her muscles and sprang.

________ _ _ _ _

The window shattered from the force of her lunge, pinpricks of pain scattering along her muzzle. She cried out upon landing, glass embedding in one of her pads. She shook off the pain, scanning the house as she stalked to the center of the room, tail lashing.

________ _ _ _ _

Her vision narrowed, settling on splatters of red marring the tiles. A growl built up deep in her chest.

________ _ _ _ _

“Beatrice just hold up. She’ll be okay.” Mary dropped through the window, glass crunching underfoot. Behind her Camila held her crossbow towards the hallway as Lilith clambered over the window sill next. “I know I’m the last person who should be saying this, but don’t go rushing in. We can’t afford to lose another warrior.”

________ _ _ _ _

Lilith put a hand on Beatrice’s back, ruffling the fur slightly. The shock of the gentle touch snapped Beatrice out of her spiral, swinging her gaze back to focus on the other nun. “We’ll get her back. Just stay with us, so we can get her back together.”

________ _ _ _ _

Beatrice hesitated, eyes straying back to the hallway. Her claws gouged grooves in the smooth linoleum floor, but at last she inclined her head.

________ _ _ _ _

Making sure they were ready, she took the lead, gliding into the dark hall, any sound muffled by her pads but for the smallest clink of glass still pierced within the soft underneath of her paw.

________ _ _ _ _

The lack of… anything set her hackles bristling. So sign of life, surfaces coated with a hint of dust. The stillness seemed to be a void, drowning anything within it to maintain its solitude. Any noise made seemed to ring against the walls, echoing into the depths of the house like a mockery of the life it used to hold.

________ _ _ _ _

And yet of Ava there was no trace, but for the pools of red spread on the ground, metallic tang pervading Beatrice’s nose.

________ _ _ _ _

A whine rumbled from her throat before Beatrice could stop it, and she started when the three other warriors flanked her, keeping their focus on their surroundings, though briefly reaching to provide unspoken comfort before returning to battle stances.

________ _ _ _ _

A crash broke the stillness.

________ _ _ _ _

“Upstairs,” Lilith snapped, any attempt at stealth shattered.

________ _ _ _ _

Beatrice roared and tore up the steps, leap nearly taking the entire staircase at once. She skidded on the landing, swerving into the first room.

________ _ _ _ _

Empty.

________ _ _ _ _

A frustrated snarl, and she raced to the next.

________ _ _ _ _

Empty.

________ _ _ _ _

Another crash.

________ _ _ _ _

Ava’s voice shouted from the next room, and Beatrice nearly toppled from a wave of relief. “Eat lamp, you bastard!” Another crash. Beatrice swore it was the most amazing thing she’d ever heard.

________ _ _ _ _

She ducked into the room to see three (three?) lamps scattered across the floor. Ava faced off against all three wraiths, back against the wall, another lamp clutched in her hands.

________ _ _ _ _

Apparently incredulous glances translate even in panther form as Ava shrugged helplessly at her girlfriend. “I don’t know either babe. Is lamp hoarding a thing? Also I may have-“ A wraith lunged, but Ava smashed her makeshift weapon over the woman’s head, sending her reeling back, the other two snarling with rage. “-may have lost my divinium blade,” she finished, panting hard.

________ _ _ _ _

Beatrice took in her pale form, eyes straying to something on Ava’s shoulder, though it was hard to see cast in shadow. She growled questioningly as the wraiths turned to her, and Mary, Lilith, and Camila finally burst into the room.

________ _ _ _ _

Ava managed a weak grin from behind the wraiths, turning so Beatrice could see the handle of a knife protruding from her shoulder. “And I also may have been… slightly stabbed? No big deal though.”

________ _ _ _ _

How her idiot girlfriend wasn’t dead yet is beyond her.

________ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: blood, minor violence


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Ava's POV*   
>  Absolute misuse of lamps, Ava is BAMF, and the Sister Warriors get reunited for the final attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost at the end! Next chapter will be the last :D  
> Hope y'all enjoy this chapter!

The moment she dropped her divinium blade, Ava had sworn so loudly she would be amazed if the warriors couldn’t hear it outside.

After breaking free of the wraith’s clutches, she had made a lunge for her discarded weapon, only to be met by the little girl wielding a kitchen knife and a snarl. Before she could dodge, the knife sank into her undefended shoulder, and Ava’s lunge fell short of her target.

The other two wraiths joined ranks and closed in.

Seeing as she had no other choice, Ava did the incredibly brave and valiant thing that anyone in her place would do. She fled.

The run up the stairs jolted her injury, making her breathing ragged as she forced herself to keep going. The sounds of her pursuers pushed her faster, and she darted into a room before stopping short.

“What the f- “She phased through a tackle that would have sent her to the ground, cutting her off. The attack did nothing to distract her from the ridiculous number of lamps in the room. They were porcelain, all carefully painted with different designs. Most popular were those covered in flowers.

“Seriously lady, not that I’m judging,” Ava panted. She grabbed the first lamp within reach, wielding in like a baseball bat. “but you need a new hobby.”

The adult wraith paused.

“Maybe get some friends?” Ava suggested, holding the sunflower plastered eyesore gingerly. “I mean, having an entire room dedicated to lamps really helps the whole creep factor, but kudos for avoiding the horror movie doll thing, you know?” She shuddered. “I would _not _be able to deal with th-AH”__

____

She smashed the lamp over the wraith’s head as she made a move, before launching another. “I swear, keep your claws to yourself or the lamps get it.” She picked up another one covered with cheerful daisies. “Maybe the blood loss is getting to me but my threats don’t seem to be as intimidating as I remember.”

____

Unimpressed, the wraiths charged. She threw her newest projectile as the kid latched onto her arm, jolting her wound. Through a hiss of pain, she yelled: “Eat lamp you bastard!” Before the force of the object sent the wraith flying.

____

Her nearest option was a polka dotted lamp, which she grabbed and held like a shield just as a dark panther swept into the room like a shadow.

____

Beatrice.

____

***

____

Everything was seen through a blur of pain, though it didn’t stop her usual quips. The relief at the other warriors bursting through the door made her lightheaded.

____

Beatrice roared her fury, pouncing on the nearest body, which just happened to be the woman. Lilith, Camila, and Mary worked on taking down the other two. Lilith drew a glowing blade, which Ava recognized as the one she’d lost, hurling it across the room and into Ava’s hand, causing her to drop the lamp.

____

The answering pain in her shoulder caused Ava to wince. She hefted the blade and strode into the fight, phasing through a blow that would have taken her feet out from under her, and as Mary and Camila distracted the girl, Lilith knocked the boy’s head with a glancing blow. Seeing an opportunity, Ava struck as the boy shook off the attack, piercing the screaming haze above his head. The boy dropped to the floor but Ava was already moving towards Beatrice, who battered the woman with her paws, the wraith flat on her back and struggling. A shrieking haze emerged from the host, just as the boy, and Ava was quick to silence that as well, wraith exploding into nothingness.

____

There was a gunshot, followed by a wail. Ava spun, only to see the little girl kneeling on the floor unharmed.

____

The wraith faded into the air as Mary holstered her gun. She met Ava’s gaze and shrugged. “Lucky guess.”

____

Suddenly, the room seemed much too still. The woman and her two children huddled together, blinking up at the warriors, shudders wracking their bodies. Beatrice had yet to transform back, fur rumpled and painful scrapes along her muzzle.

____

Mary knelt down before the family, a respectful distance away and weapons concealed. She asked them something that Ava couldn’t make out, ears still buzzing from the wraith’s cries. The woman nodded and answered back, gaze dropping down to the kids and pulling them closer.

____

Beatrice limped up to Ava, letting out questioning hum that would be more expected from a kitten. Ava rubbed her head in lieu of answering. A rumbling sound emerged from Beatrice’s throat, too gentle to be a growl, too loud to be a purr. It was a chastisement if Ava didn’t know better.

____

“I’m fine, babe,” Ava insisted.

____

Beatrice narrowed her eyes, the eerie yellow making the gaze sharper.

____

“Really, the halo will fix me up in no time.”

____

Who knew panthers could roll their eyes?

____

Lilith approached, Camila at her side busy fiddling with her crossbow. “You two ready? Mary’s nearly finished with the family, they seem unharmed except for a few bruises and cuts.” She eyed Ava’s shoulder and the knife still embedded there. “And it seems we have some things to take care of as well.”

____

Camila stopped her crossbow inspection and moved an arm to brace Ava’s side, who had to admit she was feeling a bit wobbly.

____

“I’m fine,” Ava repeated, though it was more for her own benefit.

____

“Sure you are,” Lilith snarked, already heading for the door. “Fine enough to drive?” Ava paled at the prospect of moving her shoulder and Lilith raised an eyebrow. “That’s what I thought.”

____

“Wait!” A voice called from the back of the room.

____

They turned to see the family where they’d left them. Mary had already gotten to her feet, ready to follow.

____

The person who’d spoken was the young woman. Her eyes darted to their expectant faces before settling on Ava. “Thank you.” Her voice was barely audible, crackling slightly from disuse. “You saved us.”

____

Ava gave her a small smile. “Just glad you’re all okay.”

____

The woman nodded, but a small frown twisted her lips. “You did destroy my lamp collection though.”

____

Camila made an aborted giggle, smothering it with a cough.

____

Ava opened her mouth, closing it again as she searched for something to respond with. “Uhhh. I’m… sorry?”

____

“I still appreciate you helping us.” Her tone flattened as she surveyed the pottery shards around them.

____

“Um. Okay.” Ava turned and nudged Lilith to start walking. The faster they were out of the house, the better.

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All fluff next chapter, with Ava getting to talk to her girlfriend, heal, and learn something new


End file.
